53 BLAKE JONES
November 8
The sun was low on the horizon. It was only 4:30, but the days were getting shorter, and it would be dark soon. Though I was excited to meet up with Jay and Paul that afternoon, I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t let them down again.
I rode my bike to the meeting point and found the two of them in a dark blue mini van with Florida license plates. Paul popped the trunk, and I tossed my bike in before getting in the back seat, careful not to step on the duffel bag that was slumped on the floor.
“Hi guys!” I said with entirely too much enthusiasm. I could feel both of them wince, though they had their backs to me.
“Hey, kid.” Jay twisted around from the passenger seat. He gave me a fist bump, but there was something wrong with the way h
